Intel has officially unveiled the Core Series 3 lineup, codenamed Wildcat Lake. Aimed at mainstream and value-oriented laptops, these chips are manufactured using the cutting-edge Intel 18A process—the same node powering the flagship Core Ultra Series 3. The move promises to bring a significant balance of raw performance, improved efficiency, and “AI-ready” capabilities to more affordable devices.
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Compared to a five-year-old PC, the Core Series 3 offers a 47% boost in single-thread performance and a 41% improvement in multi-thread tasks. More impressively, Intel is targeting massive efficiency gains; when measured against the previous-generation Core 7 150U, the new chips consume up to 64% less power while delivering nearly triple the AI GPU performance.
The series is headlined by the Intel Core 7 360, featuring a six-core architecture with a P-core Max Turbo frequency of 4.8GHz. It also includes an integrated NPU capable of 17 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) for local AI tasks. The range scales down through several mid-tier six-core options, concluding with an entry-level five-core Core 3 processor designed for basic productivity.
Intel is prioritizing mobility with this series, rating these processors for 18.5 hours of continuous video streaming and 12.5 hours of active office use.
On the connectivity front, the platform supports the latest standards, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports.
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Expect to see Core Series 3 chips integrated into a wide range of laptops throughout 2026. Confirmed early adopters include:
- Acer: Aspire Go 14, 15, and 16.
- ASUS: Vivobook 14/15/17 and the ExpertBook B5 Flip.
- Coming Soon: Dell, Samsung, and Lenovo are expected to announce their respective Core Series 3 hardware in the coming months.
